I was very curious about why everyone is so very careful in their treatment of Sir Walter. Mr. Shepherd "whatever might be his hold or his views [hmmm...] on Sir Walter, would rather have the disagreeable prompted by anybody else...", so he turns the delicate matter of retrenching over to Lady Russell, who is also "desirous of saving Sir Walter's feelings." (Ch. 2) And I loved Mr. Shepherd's way of getting Sir Walter to consider a naval officer (all of whom are described by him as rich, wealthy, or an admiral). Which leads to a LOL line in chapter 3: "An admiral speaks his own consequence, and, at the same time, can never make a baronet look small."